TOPIC:

Here's how my classes have made me think differently about my career. 

When I first began my classes at the University of Texas at Austin, I was a biology major. I wanted to be a dermatologist. I intended to pursue a career in medicine because I was under the impression that having a stable job that could earn me a great salary was the only way to go. However, sitting in my science classes made me reconsider this decision. I would doodle in my notes and redraw elaborate diagrams of biological structures and animals. I was always into art and drawing, so I decided to take an Intro to Design class as an elective.

In my design class, I was able to express myself creatively in a way that I didn't think was possible. I learned how to use 3D software and print out the designs I created within it. This class really opened my eyes to what doors were open for me as far as my career goes. I found a way to merge my love for science and art into one: design. I designed orthopedic shoes that would cater to a range of foot issues and even an app that could be used by students in times of crisis. It was a lot of work and research, but I found it extremely enjoyable. My professor in this class was amazing and very encouraging. He would work with me individually on several occasions to try to work through my ideas. After this class, I decided that I wanted to be a designer. This is what I was meant for. 

I took a landscape architecture class as a part of the HDO curriculum and ended up really enjoying it. Learning about how landscapes are crucial to the overall composition of a space and of buildings is powerful. I love gardening and plants, so this opened my eyes to another career opportunity as a landscape designer. I also found out that landscape architecture is a graduate program here at UT that I could attend when I graduate. 

Other classes I took also have opened my eyes to various career opportunities. I took a drawing class that really helped develop my technical skills. I took a 3D art class that made me think about art differently. It made me see that so many things could be art if placed in the right context. In that class, I made a short video complete with music, sculptures, editing, and animation. I learned so much about producing videos and editing and, most importantly, I learned that I definitely love this process so much.

Even if I don't graduate with a degree in design, I will find a way to incorporate design in my career. I am purchasing a 3D printer soon and I plan on teaching myself how to create all sorts of designs and have fun with it. I'm also planning on transferring into the design school here at UT to take a wider range of design classes while I'm still an undergrad. If I cannot transfer into design, I will graduate as an HDO major and possibly pursue design through graduate school. 

Conflict Resolution

October 23, 2019

A recent conflict I had was at work. I work at a fast-food restaurant as a cashier. Some of my responsibilities include counting registers, sweeping/mopping the floors, wiping down surfaces, cleaning the ice cream machine, and cleaning out lemonade/tea pitchers. On Wednesdays and Fridays, we are required to dump out the ice cream and remove it from circulation. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we are supposed to save the leftover ice cream to use the next day. 

It has become a habit for my co-workers and me to make ourselves milkshakes before we close the ice cream machine, and we do this almost every day. Technically, we are only supposed to make ourselves free milkshakes on Fridays, since we dump the ice cream out. It is really hard to resist making ourselves milkshakes after long shifts, and my manager isn't around during closing, so we have been able to get away with it. However, eventually, we got caught.

As my co-workers and I were cleaning and organizing the store for closing, our manager Ana comes to the front and asks us to finish up what we're doing and meet her in the back for an employee meeting. We all looked at each other terrified because we knew she saw our milkshakes sitting on the counters and in the mini-fridges. We knew we were in trouble. And it wasn't just the cashiers that were doing this, it was everyone: the fry cooks, dishwashers, and other custodians. 

After we finished up our tasks that we were working on, we all followed my manager to the kitchen where the meeting was going to be held, heads hanging low. My manager explained that it was wrong for us to take advantage of the privilege of being able to take home leftover food and have free milkshakes on Fridays. Formally, we are only allowed to have food/drinks purchased with our meal ticket worth six dollars and fifty cents per workday. Formally, we are supposed to throw away all leftover food and ice cream at the end of every day (excluding Fridays for ice cream). My manager explained that she was allowing us to take home food and feed our friends/families and have ice cream on Fridays, and this was not normal at other locations. With how many milkshakes we make for ourselves every day, we have been taking a good amount of money from the company, which I didn’t really ever stop to think about. When I started working there, everyone was already making milkshakes regularly at the end of the day, so I just hopped on the bandwagon and didn’t question it.

On the day that this meeting was held, my cookies and cream milkshake was sitting on top of the counter as I was busy counting a register in the back. That is when Ana walked to the front and noticed mine and the other milkshakes in the mini-fridge. So, I felt extremely guilty for this and for getting people in trouble that did not make a milkshake.

So, what did I do to resolve this conflict? First, I started by apologizing to my manager privately. I promised to not do this again and to never take advantage of any other privilege we are allowed. I plan to keep this promise. To top it off, I did my best to make sure everything was done correctly that shift and even stayed a little late to clean. My relationship with my manager is Authoritarian - Inferior because she is my boss. So, I respectfully accepted criticism from her and have since done my best to make up for my mistake. I did not question where her anger was coming from, because she has a right to correct me and take any necessary actions to reprimand me. I’m lucky she didn’t punish me, but I might not be so lucky next time.

Things I have noticed about people since starting HDO 301

Things I have noticed about people since starting HDO 301

September 25, 2019

I didn’t really know what I was getting into when I signed up for this course.
I did not fully know what ‘Human Dimensions and Organizations’ was, but I was interested
to find out. I am entering the field of design, and as I’ve practiced different aspects of design
and created products/plans, I’ve noticed that I have gravitated towards human-centric design.
Apps designed to help people in times of crisis, stylish diabetic shoes, as well as products
designed to soothe and calm people. So, I figured if I could somehow understand people
better, I could then become a better designer and a better person in general.

I am very interested in psychology and have taken a few courses on the subject in the past.
I was very pleased to find that this course is rich in teaching various psychological theories and
models. One of my favorite lectures involving psychology was the one that centered around
negotiation strategies and principles. I found this lecture extremely useful and it made me
contemplate my past interactions with others and how I could have negotiated better in order
to either get what I wanted or come to a conclusion that would satisfy both me and the other
party. I have found that the way I have approached some negotiations in the past has been too
forward and rigid, which has landed me in quite unfavorable situations. I have also found that In
other negotiations I have been a part of, I was not rigid enough and I also ended up in
unfavorable situations. From the lectures, I have learned how to negotiate in a way where I am
not too aggressive, yet not a pushover, which is extremely valuable to me.

From the watching relationships assignment, I was able to learn a lot about everyday
human behavior. Not to sound creepy, but I have always been in the habit of observing
strangers and find it really interesting and entertaining. I like making stories up in my head
about their lives and piecing together bits of their conversations to try to understand what kind
of person they are, or what they have experienced. While I was doing the watching relationships
assignment, I had specific things I was looking for, and that helped me understand interpersonal
behavior on a deeper level. I learned about body language and how important it is in defining
relationships and interactions. I heavily relied on observing body language and facial expressions,
since in most cases, I was not able to hear the conversations the groups of people were having.
When I typically ‘people-watch,’ I rely a lot on dialogue to guide me to my judgments. However,
after this assignment, I found that dialogue is not the most important factor in determining
relationships, and the more useful indicators of relationship types are found through physical
expressions. In my opinion, the main indicator of intimacy is physical interaction. A pat on the
back suggesting friendliness, a playful punch to the shoulder signifying comfort and ease.
Hands are the main factors in which physical communication is practiced. By watching one’s
hands, I was able to find out things about people I hadn't noticed before. Someone rubbing
their legs with their hands often communicates tension and discomfort. Someone touching their
face often can suggest a variety of different things, so other indicators are necessary to make
any solid judgments on the relationship interaction being observed. Overall, I am very intrigued
by this class and am excited to learn more about how to communicate effectively with others.